By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has completed one year in office as the leader of the West African nation, known for its relatively stable democracy.
Faye and his Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, promised to reset the economy, wage a war against corruption, and ensure food sovereignty.
The country witnessed a political shift that removed the ruling party from government. Just weeks before the election, Faye and Sonko, then in opposition were imprisoned under what they claimed were trumped-up charges by the government of Macky Sall, who feared their growing popularity among young people.
Following mounting domestic and international pressure, they were released, and Faye went on to win the presidency in the first round, while the government-backed candidate secured only 36% of the vote after Sonko was disqualified.
One year later, Faye’s administration faces mixed reviews. His opponents argue that his government has not shown enough ambition, while supporters express confidence in his vision.
“The project is so far good,” said a young resident of Dakar. “We’re confident it is going to work, but they have to accept criticism.”
Others, however, rated the President low on delivering his campaign promises. “We haven’t seen any of the promises implemented,” said a commercial motorcycle rider. “They asked us to fight by promising young people projects and assuring us there would be jobs, but we haven’t seen anything yet.”
Since taking office, Faye has introduced measures to reduce food inflation, unemployment, and the high cost of living. His government has audited the previous administration and launched a plan to revitalise agriculture, aiming to boost local food production and engage young people in the sector.
However, the opposition remains unimpressed. “This is a disappointment. None of their initiatives stem directly from their reference document, Senegal Vision 2050,” said opposition leader Mouhamdou M. Mane. “Right now, we need mechanisms to revive our economy.”
Faye’s government, led by Sonko, has also initiated a campaign to clean up the administration, reduce waste, and optimise public finances.
“I consider the overall performance to be positive. When you look at two key areas, laws and justice, he has taken steps to address longstanding criticisms, including organising a judicial conference,” said political analyst Mamadou Thior.
Faye, 44, secured quick economic wins early in his tenure, including issuing a $750 million eurobond in June to meet government financing needs ahead of Senegal’s oil and gas production launch last year.
A week after the bond sale, his administration slashed prices of bread, oil, and rice while suspending taxes and customs duties on importers.
